That WAS a crazy game of poker

Haven't had the chance to post about this band, other than in passing (particularly for their use of horns). O.A.R. was one of the first concerts I ever attended, and one of the better ones too. I have a little trouble describing their style, they are on the brink of so many genres it is hard to tell sometime where they are at. They float on a line between sounds like reggae, indie rock, jam bands, among other fairly prevalent sounds.

The first song I came upon was "The Wanderer" which epitomizes their reggae, punch rhythms, but doesn't even begin to sum up their overall sound. Their sound really moves all over the place but they tend to carry a familiar pattern. Strong throaty vocals, horn interludes, some fine harmonic guitar notes among other little musical motifs. If you don't already know this classic college rock band then you absolutely should.

"The Wanderer" by O.A.R. from The Wanderer (1997)

"Black Rock" by O.A.R. from The Wanderer (1997)

"Hey Girl" by O.A.R. from Souls Aflame (2000)

"Shattered" by O.A.R. from All Sides (2008)

-S

Mark Ronson

Great song for you all today. It's an instrumental-which I really don't think I post enough of on this blog. It is a cover of Coldplay's "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face," from their sophomore album A Rush Of Blood To The Head. The instrumental is by Mark Ronson- who is known for his producing and guitar prowess. The cover sounds really amazing-putting more of a jazzy/dancehall spin on the track.

What really sets this track apart is the totally raw sound of the horns that really pull it all together. They add a flavor to the track that we really don't hear a lot of these days-horns seemed so rarely used in popular music, which is just too bad because they can really make some songs much more complex and add depth. Ronson uses the same guitar effects that he really takes advantage of on the entire CD- Version. There are a lot of great covers on the album, but for some reason this track really sets itself apart from the others. However I will also post his "Toxic" cover, which is of equal value, but not one of my favorite songs as far as composition goes. Enjoy!

"God Put A Smile Upon Your Face" covered by Mark Ronson from Version (2007)

"Toxic" covered by Mark Ronson ft. Tiggers & ODB from Version (2007)

-S